Power operated shovel for granular bulk material



April 22, 1958 M. c. ADDICKS 2,831,274

POWER OPERATED SHOVEL FOR GRANULAR BULK MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1955 3Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

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POWER OPERATED SHOVEL FOR GRANULAR BULK MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 9, 1955 5 &8 IL I] Q7 INVENTOR.

April 22, 1958 M. c. ADDICKS 2,831,274

POWER OPERATED SHOVEL FOR GRANULAR BULK MATERIAL Filed March 9, 1955 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

- a 9 I lntte ttes atent cc Patented Apr,

Fig; 5 is a view in side elevation of the shovel of Fig. 4;.

Fig. 6 is a. lower end view as seen from the line 66 2,831,274 of Fig.5'; nml 5 Fig; 7 is a; front! elevation of another modification; POWERggfiggg i gg GP AR Fig; 8 is a view in section taken on. the line 88 ofMentor C. Addicks, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application March 9,1955, Serial No. 493,265

5 Claims. (Cl. 37-135) My invention relates generally to power operatedshovels and, more specifically, to such shovels or scoops which areutilized in the moving of loose granular bulk material such as grain orthe like. More particularly, my present invention relates toimprovements in shovels or scoops used in connection with automaticshovelling machinery of the type disclosed in my United States PatentNo. 2,646,965, issued July 28, 1953,v and entitled "Device for HandlingGranular Material.

Heretofore, in devices of this kind, wherein the material handlingshovel isautomatically reciprocated between a retracted digging positionand a projected delivery position, difiiculty is often experienced incausing the shovel tobury itself sui'hciently into the material toobtain a full load. This difliculty is increased-when relativelylightweight shovels are used, the light weight of the shovel beingadvantageous to the rapid reciprocation thereof without undue strain onthe lines or cables and other parts of the machinery used to move thesame. The primary object of my invention is, therefore, the provision ofa shovel of the type set forth having novel digger means thereon forcausing the same to bury itself in the material at the initial part ofits forward delivery movement whereby to obtain a maximum load thereonbefore the shovel travels an appreciable distance toward the deliverypoint-1 Another object of my invention is the provision of a shovel ofthe type set forth having a digger element which has alength less thanone-half of that of the shovel whereby, due to the lesser area of thedigger element and the resultant lower friction therebetween and thematerial to be moved, the digger element will draw the shovel downwardlyinto the material when the shovel is moved forwardly toward its point ofdelivery.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a shovel of the abovetype which is of relatively light weight, which is simple andinexpensive to manufacture, and which is efiicient in operation anddurable in use.

The above, and still further highly important objects and advantages ofmy invention, will. become apparent from the following detailedspecification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in whichlike numerals indicate like parts throughout theseveral views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, partly diagrammatic, view in vertical sectionof the body of a railroad car or the like illustrating a preferredembodiment of my novel shovel and its use;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the shovel of Fig. l, on. anenlarged scale, some parts. being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a lower forward end view of the shovel of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig.4 is a view in front elevation of a modified form of shovel;

Fig. 7';

Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation of a shovel showing still anothermodified form;

Fig. 10 is a view in side elevation of the shovel of Fig. 9; some partsbeing broken away and. some parts shown in section;

Fig; I1 is a lower end? View of the shovel of Figs. 9 and 10 as seen'from the line 1111 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view in front elevation of a still. further modified form;

Fig. 13 is a view in side elevation of the. shovel of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view inside elevation of. still another modified form; and

Fig. 15 is a transverse section taken on the line, 15-15 of Fig. 14.

Inv the preferred embodiment. of my invention illustrated in. Figs. 1 to3,,inclusive,-- a:power operated shovel is indicatedin its entirety bythe. numeral 1',v and comprisesa pain of flat body elements 2- and 3which converge rearwardly toward anapex indicated at 4. Adjacent theirupper ends, the body elements 2 and 3 are joined by a brace bar 5 which.is bolted or otherwise rigidly anchoredat-its opposite-ends tothe'bodyelements 2 and: 3; as indicated at 6 and 7, respectively. Asshown inFig. 2-, the body element 3 is provided with a plurality of holes 8- forselectively receiving the anchoring bolts 7, whereby the brace bar 5--may be positioned at various points longitudinally ofthe shovel I asdesired. It may be assumed that the body element 2 is also provided withholes similar to the: holes 8* for reception of anchoring bolt 6-asselected! At their: lower ends,.the body elements 2 and 3 areprovid'edwith. toothed reinforcing plates 9 and 10; respectively, which-tend tobreak up lumps of material during the shovelling operation, and'whichstiffen. the lower ends of the plate-like body elements 2 and 3. Weldedor otherwise secured to'the toothed-plates 9 and 10 are a pair oflaterally spaced ring-like shoes 11 and a central ring-like shoe 12,which shoes engage the floor of the car or bin being emptied, whereby toprevent the teeth of the plates'9and 10'from' digging into the floor andcausing damage thereto.

Rigidly secured to the central portion of the shovel 1 near the upperend thereofis' a generally U-shaped anchoring bracket 13 towhich ispivotally mounted the upper end of a draw-bar acting l'eg 1'4thatextends forwardly and downwardly and terminates in a ground engagingshoe 15; The leg 14 is adapted to swing toward and away from the shovel1 and is provided intermediate its ends with a generallyrearwardlyprojecting stop bar 16 that is adapted to engage theintermediate or apex portion 4 of'the shovel 1 to limit swingingmovements of the leg 14 inwardly toward the shovel. Means for limitingoutward or forward swinging movements of the leg 14 with respect to theshovel comprises a flexible cable 17 which is anchored at its oppositeends to hook-like elements 18 and 19 that are rigidly secured to theouter side edge portions of the body elements 2 and 3, respectively, andnear the lower ends thereof. The cable17 is adapted to be received in aselected one of a plurality of forwardly opening notches 20 in theintermediate portion of the drawbar-acting leg 14 whereby to adjustablylimit the outward swinging movement of the leg with respect to theshovel. A locking arm 21 is pivotally secured at one end to the leg 14,as indicated at 22, and is provided with 3 a plurality of inwardlyopening notches 23, each of which cooperates with a different one of thenotches in the leg 14 to form an aperture through which the intermediateportion of the cable 17 is adapted to pass. When it is desired to shiftthe cable 17 from 'onenotch to another, it is merely necessary to swingthe locking arm 21 outwardly with respect to the leg 14, after whichthe: cable 17 may be moved from one notch 20 to another thereof. Whenthe cable 17 is placed in the desired notch 20, the locking arm 21 isagain swung inwardly into engagement with the leg 14. The locking arm 21may be releasably held against outward swinging movements by anysuitable means, not shown.

Intermediate the notches 20 and the shoe-forming lower end 15, the leg14 is provided with a plurality of apertures 24, through a selected oneof which is passed an anchoring link 25 at the end of a forward pullingline or cable 26. Adjacent its upper end, the leg 14 is provided with aplurality of apertures 27 for the selective reception of an anchoringclip or the like 28 to which is connected a rearward or return pullingline or cable 29. With reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that thereturn 'cable 29 is adapted to pass over a tail sheave 30 suitablymounted to one end portion of the interior wall of a bin or railroadfreight car A. The car A is of the usual type utilized for hauling grainor other freight and is provided at its central portion with adoor-equipped opening B, the floor of the car being indicated at C. Thecables 26 and 29 may be assumed to extend to suitable winding means, notshown, but clearly disclosed in my prior United States patent aboveidentified, the shovel 1 being movable between a retracted positionadjacent the tail sheave 30 and a forwardly projected delivery positionadjacent the door opening B whereby to unload the car A of material suchas grain or the like, indicated at D. Obviously, as the level of thegrain D in the car is lowered, the tail sheave 30 is placed in a lowerposition so that the shovel 1 is caused to engage the same adjacent theend wall of the car, said end wall being indicated at B. As shown inFig. 1, during the return movement of the shovel 1 from its deliveryposition toward the tail sheave 30, the same moves on or over thesurface of the granular material D. Then, during its forward deliverymovement, the shovel 1 tends to dig into the material whereby to movethe'sarne toward the door opening B. Inasmuch as the shovel 1reciprocates between its retracted and delivery positions at arelatively rapid rate of speed, it is advisable that the shovel 1 be ofas light weight as possible commensurate with the strength necessary toenable the same to perform its useful function, so that the strain onthe cables 26 and 29 and the machinery for moving the same is held to aminimum.

As above indicated, some difiiculty has been encounteredwith the use oflight weight shovels in causing the same to be properly buried in thematerial D during the initial portion of the forward travel thereof sothat a full load of material is carried by the shovel to the point ofdelivery. In order to overcome this difliculty, I provide a diggerelement 31, cross-sectionally U-shape, and having its'axis generallyparallel to the longitudinal dimension-of the shovel 1. As shown, thedigger element 31, extending transversely of the shovel 1, has itsopposite ends bolted or otherwise rigidly anchored to the body elements2 and 3 adjacent the lower ends thereof, as indicated at 32. The diggerelement 31 has a leading edge 33 and a trailing edge 34, theintermediate portions of which are rearwardly spaced from the planes ofthe body elements 2 and 3 so that grain D is adapted to passtherebetween during the movements of the shovel through the granularmaterial. With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that aring-like floor-engaging shoe 35 is anchored to the digger element 31 atits transversely intermediate portion and adjacent the leading edge 33thereof.

As shown in Fig. 1, during the rearward movement of .4 the shovel 1, thedigger element slides through the granular material D adjacent thesurface thereof and remains buried in the material to substantially therearward limit of its travel. As the shovel 1 is pulled forwardly towardits delivery position, it is tilted upwardly toward its position shownin Fig. 2. During this initial forward movement, material movingupwardly between the rear surface of the shovel 1 and the digger element31 causes the digger element 31 to draw the shovel 1 downwardly into thematerial until a full load is gathered by the shovel during the initialpart of its forward travel. Obviously, there is a tendency at the veryoutset for the shovel 1 to bury itself due to its angular relationshipwith respect to the direction of forward movement thereof. However, thisinitial burying of the shovel by this means alone stops before theshovel becomes fully loaded due to the rapidly increasing friction ofthe material in the shovel against the front wall surfaces of the bodyelements 2 and 3. It will be noted with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 thatthe length of the digger element 31 between its leading and trailingedges 33 and 34, respectively, is considerably less than one-half of thelength of the shovel 1 between its upper and lower ends and that thedigger element is of considerably less width than that of the shovel 1.For this reason, during the forward travel of the shovel through thematerial D, the material flows easily through the digger element 31whereby to cause the shovel to become buried in the material to agreater extent than would otherwise occur. Furthermore, the diggerelement 31 being buried in the material at the retracted limit ofmovement of the shovel, the digger element aids materially in theinitial burying of the shovel in the grain or granular material D.

For the purpose of cleaning up the car A when the same is nearly empty,I provide a pair of handles 36, one each secured to the upper endportions of each of the body elements 2 and 3 so that the shovel 1 maybe manually guided or moved to different portions of the floor C. Thisoperation is fully disclosed in my prior United States patent aboveidentified.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6,inclusive, the shovel comprises a single sheetlike or plate-like bodyelement 37, to the front surface 38 of which are secured a pair of loweranchoring elements or rings 39 and a pair of upper anchoring elements orrings 40 adjacent opposite side edges of the body element 37. A flexiblecable 41 has its opposite ends secured to the anchoring elements 39, anda second flexible cable 42 has its opposite ends connected to theanchoring elements 40. The cables 41 and 42 are connected at theirintermediate portions to a ring or clevis 43 to which is adapted to besecured a forward pulling line or cable 44. A third flexible cable 45has its opposite ends secured to the anchoring elements 40 and isprovided at its central portion with a ring or clevis 46 which isadapted to be connected to a return or rearward pulling line or cable,not shown. A plurality of generally U-shaped digger elements 47 aresecured to the rear surface 48 of the body element 37 adjacent the lowerend portion thereof and in laterally spaced relation to each other. Thedigger elements 47, like the digger element 31, are disposed with theiraxes parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the shovel, and are of alength from their leading edges 49 to their trailing edges 50substantially less than one-half the length of the body element 37.

The modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 comprisesa fiat plate-like body element 51 having upper and lower cables 52 and53, respectively, anchored to the body element 51 by anchoring elements54 similar to the anchoring elements 39 and 40 of the shovel of Figs. 4to 6, inclusive. A third flexible cable 55 is similar to the cable 45and is adapted to be connected to a return line or cable, not shown, thecables 52 and 53 being adapted to be connected to the forward pullingcable 44 by means of a connector ring or clevis 56. This form oftheinvention providesa plurality of generally U-shapecl digger elements 57in side-by-side relationship across the lower end of the body element51. It will be noted that the digger elements 57 are three in number,the adjacent ones thereof having common legs 58, and the outermost onesthereof having outer legs 59. The legs 58 and 59 are all Welded orotherwise rigidly secured to the rear surface 60 of the body element 51.It will further be noted that the leading edges 61 of the diggerelements 57 lie in the plane of the body element 51 whereas the trailingedges 62 of the digger elements are rearwardly spaced from the plane ofthe body element 51. Although the intermediate portions 63 of the diggerelements 57 are angularly disposed with respect to the plane of the bodyelement. 51, the digger elements 57 are substantially as efiective indrawing the shovel downwardly into the material under forward movementthereof as those of the shovels heretofore described.

The shovel illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, is somewhat similarto the shovel of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, in that the same, beingindicated in its entirety by the numeral 64, comprises a pair ofangularly disposed rearwardly converging body elements 65- and 66 joinedtogether at 67 and being provided with a brace bar 68 at their upper endportions. The body elements 65 and 66 are connected adjacent their lowerends by a plurality of digger elements 69 in the nature of spacedparallel bars that are angularly disposed with respect to the apex 67.The digger elements 69 perform a dual purpose, that of drawing theshovel 64 downwardly into the material as it is moved forwardlytherethrough, and that of bracing the lower ends of the body elements 65and 66 in the same manner as the brace bar 68. For moving the shovel 64forwardly, I provide a flexible cable member 70 having its opposite endsanchored in mounting apertures or the like 71, and a second flexiblecable member 72 which has its rear end secured to an anchoring ring orthe like 73 at the upper central portion of the shovel 64. The front endof the flexible cable member 72 and the intermediate portion of thecable member 70 may be assumed to be connected to a forward pullingcable, not shown, by suitable means similar to the ring or clevis 43described in connection with the shovel of Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive. Areturn or rearward pulling cable 74 may be, if desired, secured to theanchoring ring 73.

In the modification of Figs. 12 and 13, a shovel 75 comprises agenerally rectangular flat plate-like body element 76 and a pair ofdigger elements 77 welded or otherwise secured to opposite side edges ofthe body element 76 by means of gusset-like legs 78. In this form of theinvention, the leading edges 79 of the digger elements 77 aresubstantially in the plane of the body element 76, whereas the trailingedges 80 of the digger elements 77 are rearwardly spaced from the planeof the body element 76.

In the modificationshown in Figs. 14 and 15, a shovel 81 comprises anelongated cross-sectionally arcuate body element 82, the inner concavewall surface 83 thereof comprising the forward wall surface. A brace bar84 is connected at its opposite ends to opposite side edge portions ofthe body element 82, and a flexible member 85 adapted to be connected toa forward pulling cable, has its opposite ends connected to oppositeside edges of the body element 82 adjacent the lower end portionthereof. The shovel 81 is provided with a central generally U-shapeddigger element 86 and a pair of secondary digger elements 87 at eitherside of the central digger element 86.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my noveldevice and various modifications thereof, it will be understood that thesame is capable of other modification without departure from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a power operated shovel for moving granular bulk material, asheet-like body element having front and rear wall surfaces the formerof which engages said materiatte move the same during. operative forwardmovement of the shovel and the latter of which engages and slides oversaid material during inoperative return movements of the shovel, meansadjacent the lower end of said body ele= ment for connecting the shovelto a forward pulling line, means adjacent the upper end of said bodyelement: for connecting the shovel to a rearward pulling line, and, arearwardly projected digger element connected to' the rear wall surfaceof said body element adjacent thelower end thereof and extendingtransversely of said shovel, said digger element having leading andtrailing edges riespec tively relative to operative forward movement ofthe shovel, at least a portion of said leading and trailing edges beingspaced from the body element: whereby to. define therewith an open endedpassage-for material: therebes tween, the digger element engaging saidmaterialindependently of said body element during operative forwardmovement thereof to cause the shovel to be drawn, downs wardly into saidmaterial. v

2. In a power operated shovel for moving granular bulk material, a.trough-like body comprising a plurality of connected wall portions, atleast oneof said wall portions having front andrear wall surfaces theformer of which engages said material to move the same during operativeforward movement of the shovel and the latter of which engages andslides over said material during inoperative return movements of theshovel, means adjacent the lower end of said body for connecting theshovel to a forward pulling line, means adjacent the upper end of saidbody for connecting the shovel to a rearward pulling line, and arearvvardly projected digger element connected to the rear wall surfaceof said body adjacent its lower end and extending transversely of saidshovel, said digger element havingleading and trailing edgesrespectively relative to operative forward movement of the shovel, atleast a portion of said leading and trailing edges being spaced from theplane of said rear wall surface whereby to define therewith anopen-ended passage for material therebetween, the digger elementengaging said material independently of said body during operativeforward movement thereof to cause the shovel to be drawn downwardly intosaid material.

3. In a power operated shovel for moving granular bulk material, a pairof generally rectangular plate-like body elements angularly disposedwith respect to each other and connected together at their adjacent sideedges to provide a cross-sectionally V-shaped body having a generallyupwardly and downwardly extended apex and front surface portions whichengage said material to move the same during operative forward movementof the shovel and rear surface portions which engage and slide over saidmaterial during inoperative return movements of the shovel, meansadjacent the lower end of said body for connecting the shovel to aforward pulling line, means adjacent the upper end of said body forconnecting the shovel to a rearward pulling line, and a crosssectionallyU-shaped digger element extending generally transversely of said bodyand having its opposite ends each anchored to a diiferent one of saidbody elements adjacent the lower end of the rear wall surface thereof,said digger element having leading and trailing edges respectivelyrelative to operative forward movement of the shovel, at least a portionof said leading and trailing edges being spaced from said body rear wallsurfaces whereby to define therewith an open-ended passage for materialtherebetween, the digger element engaging said material independently ofsaid body during operative forward movement thereof to cause the shovelto be drawn downwardly into said material.

4. In a power operated shovel for moving granular bulk material, aplate-like body element having flat front and rear wall surfaces theformer of which engages said material to move the same during operativeforward movement of the shovel, and the latter of which engages andslides over said material during inoperative return movements oftheshovel, means adjacent the lower end of said body element for connectingthe shovel to a forward pulling line, means adjacent the upper end ofsaid body element for connecting the shovel to a rearward pulling line,and a rearwardly projected generally U- shaped digger element extendingtransversely of said body element and having its opposite ends connectedto laterally spaced portions of the rear wall surface of said bodyelement adjacent the lower end thereof, the intermediate portion of saiddigger element being rearwardly spaced from said rear wall surfacewhereby to define therewith an open-ended passage for materialtherebetween. 7

5. In a power operated shovel for moving granular bulk material, aplate-like body having front and rear surfaces, the former of whichengages said material to move the same during operative forward movementof the shovel and the latter of which engages and slides over saidmaterial during inoperative return movements of the shovel, meansadjacent the lower end of said body for connecting the shovel to aforward pulling line, means adjacent the upper end of said body forconnecting the shovel to a rearward pulling line, and a plurality ofcross-sectionally generally U-shaped digger elements disposed laterallyacross the rear of said body at its lower end portion, each of saiddigger elements having leading and trailing edges respectively relativeto operative forward movement of the shovel, said leading and trailingedges being rearwardly spaced from said body whereby said diggerelements and rear surface define open-ended passages for materialtherebetween, said digger elements engaging said material independentlyof said body during the operative forward movement thereof to cause theshovel to be drawn downwardly into said material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

